Omochikaeri-hen
by Nyria Waynes
Summary: Rena always had a strange sense for cute things and she can be very unpredictable around them. Takano unknowingly made one mistake, but that was all it took. Contains spoilers for the anime, so watch/read the original first.


**Introduction**: Well, the setting is basically episode 13 of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai, though some things are different. Rena x Takano, to be more precise, that pairing needs much more love~ A little bit dark, but it's still pretty adorable~ Um, at least I hope so.

...

**Rena's POV**

...

It was a good thing that we came back, there really was someone after Rika-chan! I wasn't too sure, but I'm glad we followed that notion. Keiichi-kun, Mi-chan and Shi-chan trusted me, so we decided to come back, fully armed. I got myself a cleaver from my treasure mine, Keiichi-kun has Satoshi-kun's old baseball bat and Shi-chan has a taser. Mi-chan is good enough with her fists, so we're all armed. We noticed that Rika-chan and Satoko-chan weren't there right away. The two police officers who were supposed to guard them were either unconscious or dead... we didn't have time to check.

We immediately went after them, they had to be in the mountains; there they'd be able to hide, maybe even get away. And sure enough, after a while of running we found them, just in time. We knocked four of those guys out and made a run for it. And that's where we're now, running through the woods. We're trying to get to Mi-chan's house. We avoided some more of them on our way, but I still feel a little bit scared... I don't think those guys from before were professionals, but there might be others as well. That's why we need to hurry!

"Hey, everyone, wait a second." We turn around and look at Mi-chan, then into the direction she's pointing towards. It's a small truck, it has to belong to the ones pursuing us. The lights are on and someone's sitting inside, but that's it. There are some lights in the distance as well, it's probably more of them... "Mind if I take you for a ride?" She has a pretty broad grin, what is she thinking?

"I get it, Mion-san. We knock that guy out and take the truck, huh? You're pretty sly..." Oh, so that's what she was talking about.

"Ohohoho! Of course, as expected from our president!" Satoko-chan laughs the way she always does, she seems to be for it as well. Maybe that would be a good idea. We'd get to Mi-chan's home a lot faster and we should be safe there. But would that work out, I wonder, I wonder?

"Do you even have a driver's licence?" Rika-chan looks a little bit suspicious, I've never heard of Mi-chan driving either...

"This is an emergency. Don't sweat the small stuff!" Hm, I guess she wouldn't offer it if she didn't know how to drive. And it really is an emergency, those guys might kill us otherwise...

"I don't think we should try that, it's too dangerous... If we don't knock the driver out immediately he'll call for help and we're done for if he does that." Shi-chan is right, we'd be outnumbered and they have guns... We managed to take out four of them, but that was only because we got the drop on them. Our weapons don't do us any good with that distance, but their guns... it's a pretty high risk.

"Hm, I guess you have a point, but we have to make a decision... alright, club, let's just vote. Everyone who's for it, hands up." Mi-chan, Keiichi-kun and Satoko-chan... Shi-chan and Rika-chan keep their hands down, so it's up to me... The risk is pretty high... Then again, if we didn't take the risk of coming here Satoko-chan and Rika-chan would probably be dead now. We don't really have the time to walk through the whole area, so I raise my hand as well.

"Alright, with that out of the way... I will go first and open the door, my sister will follow me and tase the driver. All other methods are too risky." That's right, the taser is the most reliable weapon we have. He might not lose consciousness immediately if we just hit him with my cleaver or the bat...

"With that decided... Let's do it!" Officially Mi-chan is our leader, but Keiichi-kun makes a good vice president, in my opinion. I squeeze Rika-chan's hand and we run towards the truck, she's my partner. We all have a partner with whom we hold hands, so that we don't get separated. Keiichi-kun with Mi-chan, Satoko-chan with Shi-chan and Rika-chan with me. That way we always have someone with us, even if the groups were to get separated.

We're close to the truck now. Mi-chan goes first, Shi-chan directly behind her. Mi-chan opens the door and Shi-chan immediately uses the taser... Alright, the driver is taken care of!

"Perfect, but stay quiet... I will go to the front seats with Kei-chan, all others hide in the back. If something goes wrong you'll run immediately, understood? I'll protect you, all of you." I just hope it doesn't come to that, I don't want anyone to get hurt... but we have to protect our friends, no matter what! Keiichi-kun and Mi-chan look so determined, there's no other choice but to obey.

"Fine, I'll take care of them." I walk towards the back of the truck as Keiichi-kun pulls the unconscious guard out. Shi-chan looks very worried, it's her sister, after all...

"If something happens... promise me you'll take care of yourself. I couldn't..." Mi-chan just nods as she vanishes inside of the truck.

"You too, Keiichi! Don't you dare dying on us!" Satoko-chan seems to be really worried, though she puts up a strong front. Probably because of how she lost Satoshi-kun in the past... But it's not just her, all of us would be devastated if anyone died. I can just pray that nothing will happen to them...

"Yeah, as if! I survived your punishments at the club meetings; in comparison to those this is a piece of cake, you guys are real demons! But you should hurry, we have no time to lose." I take Rika-chan and lift her up, she gets in there just fine. I climb in after her, Satoko-chan is next. I offer her my hands and she pulls herself in, she was always more athletic than Rika-chan. Last is Shi-chan. She still looks a little bit worried, though it's too dark to see much...

"It's going to be alright, Shi-chan. You just have to believe in them, just like all of us. Now get in here." I help her up as well, it's getting pretty cramped in here... There's a lot of strange stuff, some of it looks like police equipment. Cordons, heavy-duty tape, some boxes and other things I can't make out. What do they want to do with all these things? "Is everyone alright?" I don't think anyone was hurt so far, but still...

"Haaaaa... I'm out of breath and worried for my sis, but that's it." I think we're all pretty tired, I've never run like this. It has to be even worse for Rika-chan and Satoko-chan.

"No problem, I'm doing fine!" Satoko-chan... she's probably trying to be strong, but she looks just as tired and scared as the rest of us.

"Everyone's alive and unhurt, that's more-" *VROOOM* Rika-chan is cut off by the engine starting up, it's pretty loud. Now we've definitely been noticed, but we're driving already. I can hear them shouting outside, but it's already too late for them. At least we can rest for a little bit and once we're at Mi-chan's house we should be safe. The police has probably noticed what happened by now, so they should be ready to help us.

"We got in way over our heads, didn't we? I mean, secret government organisations, biological weapons and people trying to kill us? What's next, aliens? I wonder, I wonder..." I just hope we'll be alright. Shi-chan and Satoko-chan seem to think the same thing, though there's an awful silence now...

"Now is not the time to doubt ourselves!" R-Rika-chan? She sounds really emphatic and scary right now, almost as if she was a completely different person... "Keiichi and Mion are giving it their best out there, we have to believe in them! Just as they believe in us!" She's... she's right. "Didn't you hear Keiichi? We're going to defy this fate and overcome it! If you had doubts about that you shouldn't have come here in the first place."

"Hey, Rika-chan, aren't you being a bit hard on her? We're all scared... but we believe in them as well, right?" Satoko-chan also seems to be a little bit scared by Rika-chan's strange behaviour... but she is right. We have to believe in them!

"It's alright, Satoko-chan... I'm sorry, you were right, Rika-chan. Let's do our best, all of us together!" Rika-chan seems to be satisfied with this reply, Shi-chan just nods. We made it this far, together. Surely we'll ma- *Bang* *SCREEEECH* W-Wha!? Suddenly I'm thrown into the side of the truck, I barely managed to catch Rika-chan... What was that? Don't tell me...

"Mion! MION!" Shi-chan jumps out as soon as the truck comes to a halt, I just hope nothing happened to Keiichi-kun and Mi-chan... Satoko-chan got buried under the boxes and she's crying, I should take care of her first.

"Satoko-chan, are you alright!?" I push the heavy boxes away, though I don't see very much...

"*Sob* *Sob* I-I'm fine... what- *Sob* What happened?" I wish I knew, I can't hear anything from the outside... somehow this is even worse than knowing something happened. *Click* Huh? Light? Oh, Rika-chan has a battery torch, though I don't know where she got it. I don't really care either, it's good to have.

"We don't know, Shi-chan just ran out there, bu-" *BANG* ... This one was closer... Please, let them be alright! I take a quick look at Satoko-chan, she just seems to have some bruises, nothing too bad. "Anyways, thanks for the light, it's really helping." I need to stay calm, distract Satoko-chan and Rika-chan... It's not going to do us any good if we panic now, we need to stay calm. It's too dangerous to run out there, I will have to take a look first. I have to protect them...

"It was just lying around the other stuff. I will go and take a look, you two shou-" I think I just heard Shi-chan cry...

"No way, Rika-chan! I will go first. If I don't come back... well, just look after Satoko-chan and run if that happens, alright?" I give them the best smile I can muster, though it's fake... I'm scared about what's out there, but even if I die... I have to protect them. Keiichi-kun, Mi-chan, Shi-chan... They left that to me, so I have to do it. I build up my courage... draw the curtain and jump out there, with my cleaver in hand!

"One move and I'll shoot!" Wha-!? It's so bright, I can barely see anything... I squint my eyes and try to adjust them to it, but it's just no use... "Drop your weapon, right now!" I shield my eyes with my cleaver, but I can only make out some vague silhouettes... "We have your friends, if you don't drop your weapon right now they're dead!" I can hear Shi-chan cry, they're telling the truth...

"A-alright, but don't hurt them..." *Clang* I let my cleaver fall to the ground, so this is it... we tried so hard, but now... No, we haven't lost just yet. If Rika-chan and Satoko-chan can escape... we win. No matter what else, I have buy them so-

"I surrender!" R-Rika-chan...? You can't... Not after we got so far, you have to- "Leave them alone, I will come with you. Don't harm them, it's me you want, right?" But if they get Rika-chan and kill her... We'll all die either way! I reach out for my cleaver-

"Oh no, you don't, Miss!" Suddenly I feel a dull pain on my left arm and I fall... before I even know what's happening they're holding me down and tying me up... Damn it! We were so close, why did Rika-chan have to do that!? Now we've lost, the whole village, everyone, will...

"I said DON'T HARM THEM!" For a moment everyone seems to wince, was that... Rika-chan? The next moment they move again, I think they're going for the truck! I struggle against the tape, but it's just too sturdy... It's no use...

"Hey, there's another girl in here, but she doesn't look too good..." Satoko-chan... I just hope she can endure the stress, I feel an itching sensation around my neck already... but I can't move my hands, I'm somewhat grateful for that now.

"I don't really care, just tie them both up and take them to the others." I wish there was something I could do, anything... but I can hear many footsteps, too many. Even if I were to free myself, it'd be useless... At least they move the lights a little, I can see how one of them is carrying Satoko-chan away. She doesn't even react, she's completely out of it... Now I can see Keiichi-kun, Mi-chan and Shi-chan as well. Shi-chan seems to be pretty desperate, Mi-chan is just lying there, not even moving...

This is really bad. We're all captured and if they kill Rika-chan we're all dead either way, the whole village... I can't let that happen! I do my best to get to my knees, easier said than done with bound hands... but I somehow did it. I need to find my cleaver to cut myself free and-

"Hey, where do you think you're going!?" Damn, I was detected... a man with black hair, tied in a ponytail, is standing over me. He kicks me in the stomach... *Cough* if only I could find my cleaver... "Well, you're a lively one, aren't you? I will take you to our 'leader' first so that she can take care of you. But don't worry, your friends will soon follow. Dunno why she'd do it herself, but it doesn't matter." I'm yanked up and he holds my bound hands, there's nothing I can do...

"Why are you doing this!? Just leave us alone! At... at least Rika-chan and Satoko-chan! They're just children!" He just pushes me further. I think his leader will kill me, that's probably what he meant by 'taking care of you'...

"Hey, I don't call the shots, I just carry out orders. Though I'll give you some credit, you managed to knock out a couple of my men. Though I'm not sure whether that speaks for you or against them..." He's leading me further away from the others, I can barely see them any more... is this really how it's going to end? Just like this? It feels so incredibly silly, thinking that. My life, being over? I can't comprehend it...

"H-hey, you can't be serious... right? This is just a really mean joke, we'll all laugh about it tomorrow..." Maybe Mi-chan set this up and let the others in on it, they're probably trying really hard not to burst out laughing right now. That has to be it, they'll just laugh and tell me how silly I looked afterwards...

"Sorry to disappoint you, but the joke's on all of you." No... no way... this has to be a joke, a nightmare, something! This can't be real! "Anyways, here we are." He gives me a shove, I stumble a couple of steps forward and fall to my knees... This is a clearing, the lights are pretty far away now. I can see the stars above, they look so calm. It doesn't suit the atmosphere at all, especially not with the cicadas crying in the background. It's so... peaceful. I could just drift off to sleep here, not remembering anything...

"Did you catch them all? We can't let any of them escape." That's definitely a female voice... I'm somewhat surprised, is she their leader? That man said something like that. The one behind all of this? Not that it matters, I won't get a chance to tell anyone who it is... though I think I know that voice. But where from...? "Well, Rena-chan, guess who?" I can't quite see her... Miss Chie...? No, that's not it. Akane? No, that's not her voice either, far from it...

"T-Takano-san? Is that... you?" That's just silly, Takano-san was killed right after the festival. It's just impossible, it can't be her. Takano-san... she was such a nice person, always helping out Rika-chan and Satoko-chan, always playing with them. There's no way she'd be involved in something like this, much less be their leader. Unless it's really all just a prank. I swear to Oyashiro-sama, if Mi-chan and the others set me up there will be hell to pay...

"Why, yes, indeed. You're a smart girl, aren't you, Rena-chan? As a reward I'll let you see me as I kill you." *Click* At least I get to see the person who's trying to kill me, what a relief... as if. It really is Takano-san, she's pointing a gun at me. But something is really off about her. That uniform, her long, blonde hair, her big hazel eyes; the way she looks, completely caught in reverie~ "Once this is over I'll become Oyashiro-sama! I'll perform the true Watanagashi! Nipaaaaah~" Her spinning... it's hypnotic... I don't even... I have to... have to... *Rip*

"Huh? Wait, what is she doing!? She ripped the restrains!" Haha... hahaha! Now there's nothing to hold me back~ I'll... I'll...!

"Do something, keep her away from me!" It's no use, you won't get away... I dash away to get my cleaver. I will get her, no matter what! And then... and then...~ ***BANG***

...

**Rika's POV**

...

"Rika-chan, why did you have to come...? Even after all the things we did for you... even after my sister and Rena sacrificed themselves for your sake!" She doesn't have to tell me, I know... I know it. I could have run away again, but that... I can't. Especially not with things the way they are. I can't let them throw their lives away for me like this... but I should have thought about that before dragging them all into this. It's all my fault...

_Rika, you know that's not true..._ I know, even if they let the others go... they wouldn't survive what will happen next. But, by being here... maybe I'll finally get the chance to see the culprit. I just need to see the face of the person who's behind all of this and remember it.

_Hany__ū... how many times does this make it? I'm sick and tired of it, all of it. I don't want to harm my friends any more, I don't want to die... but we will do what has to be done. We will see the culprit and catch him the next time. Or the time after that, no matter how many times we have to repeat it. So help me once more, we just have to see and remember who-_ There's an almost inhumane scream in the distance. *BANG* Rena... I'm sorry. I wish this didn't happen, I really do...

"Well, time for the next one, I guess. Come here, girl." Who could be sick enough to do something like this...?

"MION! NO! Let her go, you bastard!" Shion tries to get in his way, but there's almost nothing she can do, with her hands and legs tied... He just slaps her and she falls, as if he swatted a fly away... Mion is in no condition to fight, she was hit by a bullet before. If we don't take care of that soon... haha, that's almost funny. I was worrying about something that could kill her while he carries her off to her execution...

"REINFORCEMENTS! We need reinforcements! We're under attack!" What...? This is... unexpected. But who could be helping us? Are they helping us? I only heard one shot, the one that was probably used on Rena... I wish I could see something. *BANG* Maybe it's Ōishi? But he wouldn't be able to cause them much trouble. I shouldn't get my hopes up, even if Ōishi brought along some police officers they probably wouldn't stand a chance... "IT'S A DEMON! RUUUUUN!"

"Hey... what's happening...?" Keichi seems to have finally come to. That scream sounded very panicked, what is going on over there?!

"We don't know, it just started." Maybe it was- *BANG*

_Hauuu... Don't look at me, I didn't do anything! I don't know what's going on either..._ *Sigh* All of the soldiers seem to be running either towards the source of the screams or away from it, it's getting really chaotic. I would use this opportunity to sneak away with the others, but we're all tied up, so we can't do anything but wait... *BANG* *BANG* I don't understand anything any more, this doesn't make sense...

_Hany__ū, I want you to take a look at what's happening over there. You can do this, can't you?_ For a god she's surprisingly useless... but she is the one who always sends me back, so I can't exactly complain. She just disappear, though she can't go very far. She can only stay close to me or some sacred ground, otherwise I'd ask her to follow Takano-san and Tomitake-san before they're killed...

_You won't believe it..._ Apparently it was close enough, she seems to be... relieved? Maybe she discovered the perpetrator, though that would be more than what I could hope for. _Even better! Rena is alive! She's the one fighting, and she's winning! _... Rena is... wait, what? That can't possibly be right!

_Hany__ū, this isn't the time for jokes, especially not for tasteless ones like this!_ It doesn't suit her, being that mean... she never did this before, maybe the endless repetitions are getting to her, too? I don't hope so, but I can't rule that possibility out.

_Of course I wouldn't be that cruel! I'm telling the truth, Rika. We're winning!_ This is just... not possible. Rena couldn't win, no matter what. We were inferior, both in numbers and in combat experience. They caught all of us, Rena as well. This isn't possible!

_No way, that can't be true..._

_Just listen, you'll hear it!_ Huh? Listen? I strain my ears, but all I can hear are the cries of the soldiers- *BANG* *BANG* And the shots. Someone's barking orders... I think I recognise that voice. Who is that person? Could it be... Okonogi? But I thought... wasn't he on our side? No matter. The other soldiers let out panicked screams and battle cries, but that's probably not what Hanyū meant either. Wait a second...

"Hau! Hau! Haaauuu~! Omochikaeriiiii~!" ... no way. That can't... I mean, she always gets stronger and overpowers all of us when she is that way, even the whole group, but... there's no way she could take out all of those soldiers on her own, no matter how cute it is! I don't get what cute things she could've found out here either way, but her tastes were always rather weird. I mean, I get it with Satoko, but other than that... that's not the point!

"Hey... do you hear that or is it just me?" Keiichi noticed the sounds as well... It's getting quiet over there, no more screams or shots.

"W-what's going on? A-are the bad guys... gone?" I want to reassure Satoko, but that's easier said than done, with the heavy-duty tape and all...

"I think so, yeah... I mean, yeah! I have no idea how we did it, but we won! You hear that, sis!?" Mion doesn't answer... I hope she's alright, I can't tell how badly she was hurt.

"That's right, president! We did it!" It's far too early to be celebrating... but I don't want to spoil it for them. If those are our last moments together... I'd much rather have them spend them in blissful ignorance. But even if Hanyū was right, even if Rena seems to win... one shot could turn the tides in their favour. I can't believe it at this point, we're still caught and have no way of freeing ourselves. It all depends on Rena now...

"Come on, sis... talk to me! Say something! Anything!" Shion seems to be getting a little more desperate now. I can understand that, with a little bit of bad luck... Mion could be dead already. Maybe she bled out, maybe the shot hurt her internal organs...

"Ouch... can't you just let an old man... rest in peace?" *Sigh* I was worried for nothing, wasn't I? If she can still crack a joke it can't be that bad.

"SIS! You're alright!" Shion seems to be overjoyed... It's really cruel. Nothing is certain, it's not over yet... so why must I see this? Why give me hope, right before shattering it...?

_Rika... you can't just give up now, right? You have to believe, they all do_. Maybe, just maybe, Hanyū is right. Maybe I should believe, for the first time after- are those footsteps? Could it be... Rena!? No... Those aren't her steps, they're heavier. It's the enemy... Why did you have to get my hopes up, Hanyū!? WHY!? If this is what happens... I'd have been better off without any hope!

"You really are something else, you know that? Seriously, some damn little brats, knocking out my whole unit? *Sigh* We'd be the laughing stock of everyone if that became public, so we can't let that happen, can we? Sorry, I have a job to take care of, don't take it personally. Just keep still for a moment, I'll make this as painless as pos-" *Clong* ... what? What was that? I can see him in front of me now, is he going to... no, he's staggering... he's falling...

"Hey, did you see, did you see? Where is it? Haaauuu..." No way. There's just no... *Sigh* Calm down. Maybe it's all just a dream, there's nothing to lose either way, right? I'll just accept that... Rena took out a whole military unit on her own... without any help, without even a gun. I don't even care, let's just pretend...

"What are you... did you just...!? What's going...? Who...?" Apparently Keiichi just saw the same thing as I did, he seems to be just about as confused.

"Rena, what happened over there? And what are you looking for?" She seems to be quite upset, though I have no idea why...

"Not here, not here... must go. Where to, where to?" I take that back, she's completely lost it...

"Calm down, Rena. Just tell me what happened over there, maybe we can help you?" I doubt it, but I'll at least try. I wouldn't want her to get this the wrong way, she killed me before because of seemingly trivial matters...

"No, too slow. Must hurry, cute..." She starts to sniff the air for a second... there's no way she could find what she's looking for that way, right? She suddenly drops her cleaver and darts off, deeper into the forest.

"Hey, Rena, come back here! You have to help us with the tape! Don't just ignore MEEE!" *Sigh* Keiichi should know better, it's useless to try and talk to her when she's like this...

"There, there..." Somehow petting his head works better, but I can't do that right now... "Could you help me, KeiKei?

"Well, I would, but there isn't really much I can do..."

"Come over here, I'll try to help you." He's squirming a little bit and slowly turns around.

"Looks as if you had a plan, Rika-chan. Alright, let's do this!" He lies down and crawls towards me, it's a really comical image.

"Hahaha! Look at that, sis, you have to see it!" Satoko joins in on the laughter, and so do I. And Hanyū, though no one else can hear her.

"Wow, that's... a fitting punishment game, isn't it? You failed to protect me, after all." It's not an accusation, it's just their usual bickering. It's all back to normal, is this really how it ends?

"Tch, weren't you the one who talked big about how she's going to protect everyone, no matter what? Why would I receive a punishment if you were the one who failed?" He isn't really serious either, they're just joking... I guess they're trying to ignore all of those things that happened just know. Fine with me, if it keeps them from panicking or going mad.

"I did say that... but you're supposed to sacrifice a pawn for the king, right? Not that I'd play chess, but still..." Keiichi finally reaches me.

"Turn around, just let me see your hands." He does so and I start biting the tape as best I can. It's really sturdy, but it has to work... I just have to pull a little bit harder.

"Isn't Rika-chan the king? You'd be a knight, at best. And me, a pawn? I'd be a rook, in the very least!" Keiichi tries to separate his arms with all of his strength and... *Rip* It worked! Keiichi did it, his hands are free now! He shakes them a little bit, probably to get the blood pumping again... Mine feel as if they fell asleep, that man was a lot more violent than necessary...

"Keiichi? Rena's cleaver is over there, can you pick it up?" Keiichi comes over and takes it. He cuts the tape around my wrists and ankles, then the tape around his ankles. "Very good. Now free the others. Afterwards we take some tape rolls from the truck and disarm the goons. That's an order." It's still dangerous, there could be some wandering around or regaining consciousness... but it's a risk we have to take. Not capturing them would be even more dangerous.

"Yes, Mr. President!" We all have to giggle at his comical salute. Maybe it's going to be alright...

...

**Takano's POV**

...

*Pant* *Pant* I think I lost her... but how could...? I was just about to do the deed, but then... Okonogi and the others distracted her, but they never stood a chance. They were so useless! It was as if she was possessed by a real demon. I ran again, as far as I could, into the woods. Now I'm hiding in a small cave I stumbled across, at least I should be safe. But this means... my plans, my wish for my grandfather and myself to become gods... it can't all...

A god must never bow down, not even to a demon! That's what my grandfather told me, and he was right. He had to be right, otherwise all of this would have been... No, I mustn't even think that. He was right. And, in order to become gods, I will sacrifice anything else. My happy life in the village, the time I spend with the children... It hurts, but I have to do it. At this point, I have no choice. The time when I had a choice... it was before I even met Nomura.

I just want to... take a look at the research of grandfather, one last time. It's right here, under my... that's strange, it should be under my uniform. I held it close and kept it safe from the rain... I look around, but it's just too dark. Flashlight, flashlight... *click* Found it. This cave is surprisingly deep, now that I can see what's ahead of me. It's a black abyss, it could go deep into the mountain. But that doesn't matter now!

Where is it, where is it!? It's not in the cave, so it has to be out there. They won't find me, I ran fast and far. The training with Okonogi finally paid off... but now I have to go back. I can't go on without his research, I just can't. I need it, to guide me, to protect me... I take a few more breaths and finally step out. The weather is really bad, it's going to rain again very soon... I have to find the book! I can't let it get damaged!

I stumble across some roots which are sticking out, but I get back up right away. The book has to be somewhere on the way... if only I knew where I came from, but I didn't have the time to look... It all looks the same! I have to hurry, I can hear the first drops of rain in the leaves and push my wet hair back... *Drip* *Drip* Now on my skin...

"WHERE IS IT!? GIVE IT BACK!" I can't let it all go to waste! I need it, it contains all of our research! I don't care who, Okonogi or someone else... Just give it back! "OYASHIRO-SAMA! Give it back!" It's all Oyashiro-sama's fault... if only he didn't intervene and just let my grandfather get the recognition he deserved... "Curse you! It's all your fault!" There's no time for this, I have to find the book!

Not there... not here either... WHERE IS IT!? I run again, though I have no idea where I'm headed... "Give it back... I don't want to be... all alone again..." Why do I have to think back to my time at the orphanage now, of all times!? Then again, it was a night like this... we tried to run away, but... but grandfather came to save me. I want grandfather to come back, where is he? Oh, that's right... he's long-

"Where are you, where are you~? Come here, I won't hurt you... hehehe~" S-she!? I quickly turn off my flashlight, but I think it's too late... she noticed me! I turn around and run, towards the cave... maybe I can hide there. No... it's the same as then... I can run, but... it feels so itchy, just a little... No! I can't, not yet. It would be so easy, it would feel so good... but I'm not ready. I still have to... "Found you~"

"Stop right there!" I made it back to the cave, but I might as well not even have bothered... I draw my gun, she just has her cleaver. She's holding it like a sword, but at this distance I clearly- wait, that... that, in her left hand, slightly behind her back... "You couldn't... you found it... Give it back! Give it back or I'll shoot you!" She looks a little bit confused, then she looks at the book and holds it in front of herself...

"This? You want to have it?" I just nod, I need it... I look at her with pleading eyes. I know, I probably don't deserve it, but- "And what's to prevent you from shooting me once you have it? I wonder, I wonder..." She really is a smart one... she's coming closer...

"D-don't! If you don't stop right there I'll shoot you!" She just comes closer and holds the book in front of her face and body, like a shield... taking a hostage is really low. Then again, I'm not really one to talk. "Don't come any closer! I warned you!" I aim at her, but I can't shoot... not with our research in the way! I have to protect it. She's still coming closer... *BANG* A warning shot, but she doesn't even flinch...

"I see how it is~ You can't do anything while I have this, can you, can you?" *Sigh* She's spot on, I can't do anything... she suddenly rushes forward and hits the gun out of my hand, I didn't even have the time to react... Just what is she!? A demon!? A servant of Oyashiro-sama!? "Now then... I wonder, I wonder, what would happen if I ripped those pages out?" She can't mean... she wouldn't... She just opens the book and grabs some pages!

"NOOO! STOP IT! Please... I'll do anything, just... just don't destroy it." Maybe she wants to kill me now, I couldn't hold it against her. Ryūgū Rena... she managed to ruin it all. How can she be that strong...? I don't know, and I don't care. I just pray that she won't destroy my life...

"A-n-y-t-h-i-n-g~?" I don't know what she's talking about, but I just nod.

"Anything! Anything at all! I'll let you kill me! I'll stop doing this, I'll atone for my deeds or whatever else you want! Just... just return it to me..." She looks at me as if I was confusing her...

"Um... I wouldn't mind if you did atone for something, but for now... Could you do that again? What you did before?" Huh? What I did...?

"What do you mean?"

"You know..." She traces the flat blade of cleaver with her fingers and I think she's blushing slightly... if I didn't know it any better I'd... interpret that as shyness? Maybe it's just the light of my flashlight that makes it look this way... "What you did... before you ran. That..." What is she talking about? Before I ran away? Does she mean...

"I-... I'll become Oyashiro-sama...?" She just shakes her head and puts her fingers close to the pages again!

"No, not that... afterwards." Before I ran, but after...

"N-nipah?" I feel silly, doing this... It's probably not even what she- are her eyes lighting up?

"Exactly! More, more~" She's... kind of cute, I guess. Though I still don't see the meaning of this... is she trying to humiliate me? Well, if it's to save our research...

"Nipah. Nipah..." I feel even sillier now...

"No, not that! You have to put more emotion into it, just like before. And the spinning~" *Sigh* Just what is she asking for? She has to have gone crazy or something...

"Nipah?" She puts her cleaver dangerously close to the book now... "NIPAH!"

"Come on, you can do that better, can't you, can't you?"

"I can't do it when you pressure me like-"

"LIAR!" Waaah! She... she really scared me there... I guess I'll have to try. Just think of... becoming Oyashiro-sama, the work of my grandfather and myself being recognised...

"Nipaaah~" And the spinning comes naturally~ Wait, I think something's wrong here... why is she looking at me like that? "Rena? Is something wrong?" I don't like that look, it's dangerous, in a strange way. Almost predatory...

...

**Author's note**: Well, I've basically had it with waiting for Daniel to get some time and he didn't like the idea for this one either way, so I decided to do this on my own. The first (and probably only chapter) of the Omochikaeri-hen, the 'Taking It Home Chapter', the lost arc! Um, not really, but I liked the idea, it was pretty cute. 'sides, Rena x Takano is my OTP for Higurashi~ So, yeah... make of this what you may. Maybe I'll continue it sometime, who knows. Or should I just leave it like this?


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